This document introduces a new method for estimating story points called User Story Point (USP) estimation. It is presented as an empirical, algorithmic-based method that aims to address inconsistencies with current estimation practices. The USP method involves two main steps: 1) assessing productivity factors for a team and story, and 2) determining a story's complexity score. These scores are then used in a calculation to assign a USP value to a user story. Advantages of the USP method include being objective, consistent, analytical and adaptable to changing team environments and technologies.
2. Hello!
I am Fred Heath
Developer, Problem solver, Ruby / Nim evangelist, Agile practitioner.
You can find me at:
FredAtBootstrap
www.bootstrap.me.uk
7. What’s this all about
● Current estimation methods not fit for purpose
● A new algorithmic-based, empirical way introduced:
USP estimation
USP = User Story Point
15. Ben implements the story
Ben struggles
Jerry helps
Ben struggles some more
PO getting stressed
Scrum begins...
16. What went wrong
Environmental
factors ignored
Ben unfamiliar
with project,
programming
language and
application
domain.
Technical factors
ignored
Asynchronous
processing is
inherently
complex, setup is
not trivial.
Human interaction
factors ignored
Jerry charismatic
and influential
leader. Peer
pressure always
wins.
17. Key problems with current estimation
methods
● Inconsistent
● Subjective
● Unreliable
21. Use Case Points
Environmental Factors
(EF)
Project familiarity,
application experience,
motivation, language
complexity, etc.
Technical Factors (TF)
Complex algorithms,
concurrency,
cross-platform support,
etc.
Use Case complexity
(UUCP)
Simple, average or
complex
Use Case Points = UUCP * TCF * ECF
22. UCP References
1. Karner, G, 1993, “Metrics for Objectory”. Diploma thesis, University of
Linköping, Sweden. No. LiTHIDA-Ex-9344:21. December 1993.
2. Smith, John, 1999, “The Estimation of Effort Based on Use-Cases.
Rational Software.Cupertino, CA.TP-171. October 1999.
3. Anda, Bente, D. Dreiem, Dag Sjøberg and Magne Jørgensen, 2001,
“Estimating Software Development Effort Based on Use-Cases -
Experiences from Industry”, The Unified Modeling Language.Modeling
Languages, Concepts, and Tools, 4th International Conference,
Toronto, Canada, October 1-5, 2001, LNCS 2185
4. Roy Clem, Project Estimation with Use Case Points,
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/architecture/usecasep.aspx
29. COMPLEXITY FACTORS (1/2)
Weight Name
2
Distributed or Parallel
processing
2
Concurrency or
Synchronisation
2 High Performance
1 Reusability & Modularity
1
Complex internal
Processing
30. COMPLEXITY FACTORS (2/2)
Weight Name
0.5 Ease of Use
1.5 Cross-Platform Support
0.5
Complex Setup or
installation
1
Extensibility &
Compliance
1 Security
37. User Story
Epic: “As a user, I want to backup my hard
drive.”
Story: “As a power user, I can specify files or
folders to backup based on file size, date
created and date modified.”
USCP = 7